What to Do in the Plastic Surgery Waiting Room
By its very nature, plastic surgery is not like other medical procedures. When you go in to have a broken leg fixed or to get a shot for the flu, it’s because there’s a condition that must be fixed –NOW. Not so with many plastic-surgery procedures. Many of these are elective, and even the ones that you decide must be done can often wait a few months or years. All of which brings us to the waiting room.
Because a labiaplasty or vaginoplasty or many other plastic-surgery procedures can wait, time spent in the waiting room is usually spent wondering. "Should I really do this? Is it right for me? What if something goes wrong? Can I afford it?"
Stop—just stop! You’ve reached this point probably because you’ve already thought about the ramifications and decided this procedure is for you. Don’t torment yourself in the waiting room. Take your mind off the procedure. Here are some suggestions for things to do instead while you’re waiting.
- Read a magazine. This one is obvious, since almost every waiting room has tons of these lying around for this very purpose. But you should work on finding that article which really captivates your attention. That’s because if it’s something that you’re just halfway interested in, you’ll soon find your mind wandering back to the questions about the surgery you’re about to have done.
- Better yet, read your own book. This takes care of the problem of your mind wandering because of reading something you’re not interested in. Most people have a book lying around that they’re just dying to see what’s in the next chapter. So take it along with you.
- Better than both of these ideas: Do a puzzle. When you force your hand into the picture, you’re assuring that your mind has no room for worrying or for those needless questions about your labiaplasty or vaginoplasty.
- Write a letter. Surely there’s someone in your life that you’ve been meaning to reconnect with. Someone you should have called long ago but didn’t. Use this waiting time now for something productive. Write a letter to that person. By doing so, you’ll be getting something done that you know should have been done weeks or months ago, but also engaging your brain so much that it has to crowd out worries over your operation.
- Talk to others in the waiting room. Yes, this one seems awkward—even more awkward than talking to someone in the elevator. But you’ll be surprised at what it can do for you if you simply look at the person next to you and say, "I’m nervous about my operation. What about you?" Most people at that point will be glad to talk about their own nervousness. And surprisingly, talking about your worries is a much more positive experience than just meditating on them by yourself. (Oh, and if you are getting an intimate procedure such as labiaplasty or vaginoplasty, don’t worry about if the person asks what you’re having done. Nothing says you’re obligated to tell her the truth!
These suggestions are sure to get your brain off the matters that you’ve already settled, and give you a lot more peace of mind.
